FOG
Real Name: Rhinestone (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Normal human (early 1940s)
Occupation: Scientist/chemist, criminal
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Gangsters under his command
Enemies: Defender (Don Stevens), Rusty, Police Commissioner of Middleton, James Snyder, Middleton's Chamber of Commerce
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Middleton, USA
First Appearance: U.S.A. Comics#4/3 (May, 1942)
Powers/Abilities: Professor Rhinestone was a respected chemist but had secretly developed a form of coal that could generate an artificial fog and which induced drowsiness in people after several days exposure (presumably only a temporary effect). Rhinstone had little qualms about theft and murder, and was a capable fighter with sufficient strength almost on par with the Marine-trained Defender. He also devised specially designed helmets that would protect him and his gangsters from the effects of the the artificial fog and conceal their identities.
History:
(U.S.A. Comics#4/3 (fb) - BTS) - The Fog orchestrated the looting of factories in Middleton under cover of artificial fog he had devised, with over 3 million dollars stolen.
(U.S.A. Comics#4/3) - The Fog stood secretly outside the Chamber of Commerce as they discussed the theft problem, and chortled at their ignorance. Elsewhere, masked gangsters were raiding another factory amidst the fake fog, but were apprehended by several nearby Marines, notably Don Stevens and Rusty. Stevens smelled something unusual in the thick Fog and was able to take a sample to Professor Rhinestone, who told Stevens and Rusty that the fog was man-made and made those exposed to it drowsy and sluggish after a few days of exposure. Later, disguised again as the Fog, Rhinestone menaced the local coal merchant, James Snyder, when Snyder refused to distribute any more of the tainted coal. The Fog attacked Snyder, strangling him, but the Defender and Rusty were nearby and punched away the Fog, who escaped through a window. With his dying breath, Snyder revealed that it was fake coal that was generating the fog in Middleton. The Defender spoke with the city's Police Commissioner, who immediately organized the removal of the fake coal, along with police escort to guard against any potential attack by the villain. As the trucks unloaded the fake coal into waiting barges, which would later dump it in the river, the Fog and his agents (all masked) attacked with gunfire exchanged between the police and the gangsters. The Defender commandeered one of the trucks and charged at the Fog and his lackeys, although the Fog jumped onto one of the barges to escape. The Defender bounded after him and a fierce fistfight ensued until they both fell into the river. Under water, the Fog came close to strangling the Defender to death, but hero was able to tear of the villain's mask, exposing his true identity and distracting him sufficiently so that the Defender could punch his opponent down into the river bed and the Fog drowned.
Comments: Created by an uncredited writer and George Klein (art).
The fog generated by Rhinestone had different properties to that utilized by P.J. Evans for his gun-running activities.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
The Fog has no known connections to:
The Police Commissioner of Middleton, after speaking with the Defender and Rusty in his office, ordered the fake coal be removed. The Police Commissioner was later down at the docks with the two crime fighters watching trucks loaded with the Fog's coal drop their contents into a barge to be later dumped into the river. He was also there when the Fog and his lackeys opened fire on them.
--U.S.A. Comics#4/3
images:
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U.S.A. Comics#4/3, p1, pan1 (main image)
Appearances:
USA Comics#4 (May, 1942)
Last updated: 09/04/11
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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